About

Contact

Nintendo has begun selling digital versions of its popular titles on an Amazon storefront. Titles like Super Mario Bros. for the 3DS, Splatoon, Super Mario Maker and Mario Kart 8 are now available on the webpage. Virtual Console titles like Super Mario World, Pokemon Rumble, and Dr. Mario are also available. This is the first time an online retailer has been able to sell digital versions of Nintendo’s games.

Nintendo’s digital games on Amazon don’t require codes. Instead, you authenticate your purchase through the Nintendo Network. This potentially could relate to Nintendo’s plans for a unified network between Nintendo products (including the NX) as well as PC and smartphones. Perhaps accounts could buy products through the Amazon store front for PC and smartphones as well, as Amazon already sells PC and smartphone games digitally.

The store is live and can be found here. Nintendo is selling codes for Wii U, 3DS and Wii games. Customers can even purchase DLC through the store. Pricing on Amazon mimics pricing found on Nintendo’s eShop. Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon for Wii U are both available for $59.99 on Amazon, the same as on Nintendo’s own digital Store. At this time, only games either developed or produced by Nintendo themselves are available on the web store.

Buying games through Amazon’s store front might be the saving grace for gamers wanting to go all-digital, but feel hesitant with Nintendo games. If a Nintendo fan buys digital on Nintendo consoles, and something should happen to their console, it can be difficult to reacquire the game they paid for without outright buying the game again. Having the game through Amazon and merely re-authenticating it could ensure they always own their game.

Nintendo in the past has had a rocky relationship with the massive online retailer. In the past, Amazon refused to sell some Nintendo hardware first hand, although Amazon customers were able to buy the hardware via third parties on Amazon. There are over 60 titles available on the Amazon Nintendo storefront, offering a range of genres and types of games.

How do you feel about this? Will you consider buying games through Amazon, or stick with the Nintendo eShop? Let us know in the comments below!

Share

Have a tip for us? Awesome! Shoot us an email at [email protected] and we'll take a look!

Avid shooter and platformer fan. Coffee is the only power up I need. In the spare time I have I will listen to more podcasts than has scientifically been deemed healthy.
Hit me up on Twitter if you ever want to chat with me about games, tech, or whatever.